AEW Dynamite – “Beach Break”
January 26th, 2022
Wolstein Center in Cleveland, OH
Commentary: Jim Ross, Excalibur & Tony Schiavone
AEW TNT Championship Unification Ladder Match: Cody Rhodes (c) (w/ Arn Anderson) vs. Sammy Guevara (interim)
This match is to unify the TNT Championship as Sammy Guevara has been holding the interim TNT Championship since Cody took a break. Both men start the show in the ring without entrances, but they get introduced as the crowd seems to be booing both men. They try to get the crowd behind them but playing with them and countering each other, as Guevara seems to get them on his side. They slow the match down a bit, with Cody continuing to play with the crowd. Guevara finally goes outside to grab one of the many ladders as the crowd gets excited, only to get knocked down by Cody. Cody goes and grabs a bigger ladder and sets it between the ring and the barricade, but Guevara superkicks him and starts tossing him around the ring and barricade, as they spill out into the crowd. They brawl a bit between the fans until Cody clotheslines Sammy into the ringside, but Sammy comes right back with a cutter right back into the crowd again. Sammy goes back up the ramp and grabs yet another taller ladder. As Sammy brings it inside, Cody stops him but ends up getting knocked off the apron by Sammy wielding the ladder. They start taking turns climbing the ladder as we see Dan Lambert and Scorpio Sky watching on from the crowd. They end up on the top of the ladder, where Cody hits a suplex off the top and both come crashing down as they go to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, we see Cody dropping Sammy, stomach first right in between an open ladder. Sammy gets a burst of energy and goes on the attack on Cody until Cody tosses a ladder right into Sammy’s face. They both start climbing ladders until Sammy hits a crazy looking leapfrog cutter off his ladder onto Cody, connecting and knocking him off. As Sammy starts climbing the ladder, Cody is able to kick the ladder and Sammy off as a result. They both start climbing ladders again, until Cody hits a Cross Rhodes off of them. They both start climbing the ladder and end up hanging on the two titles, Cody knocks Sammy off and hangs from them but ends up falling as well. Cody starts attacking Sammy’s leg in between the ladder, but Fuego Del Sol runs out and gets in Cody’s face. They end up in the ring and Cody takes out Fuego, but Sammy runs in and takes Cody out of the ring, hits him with a dive and the GTH. Sammy grabs another ladder from under the ring but ends up placing Cody on top of the ladder from earlier in between the ring and barricade. Sammy starts climbing another ladder and hits a senton bomb onto Cody, but the ladder doesn’t break. Sammy starts climbing the ladder inside the ring, but Cody quickly joins him up top as they start punching it out, until Sammy uses the title to knock Cody off the ladder and grab the titles.
Winner: Sammy Guevara at 22:59, to become the undisputed TNT Champion
Edgewater Beach
Tony Schiavone is with Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs at Edgewater Beach where Tony is freezing as there’s snow everywhere. Hobbs calls out Dante Martin for another match, while Ricky Starks challenges Jay Lethal next week in Chicago with the FTW Championship on the line.
Wardlow vs. Elijah Dean & James Alexander
Wardlow comes out originally with Shawn Spears, but tells Spears to stay back, in which he does and sits on his chair on the stage. Wardlow gets a big reaction being his hometown of Cleveland as he quickly takes out his opponents hitting multiple powerbombs. After the fifth and final powerbomb, he puts his foot on both of them for the win.
Winner: Wardlow by pinfall at 1:23
As Wardlow is leaving, Spears teases going into the ring and using the chair but ends up leaving with Wardlow.
The Inner Circle (Chris Jericho, Santana & Ortiz) vs. Daniel Garcia & 2point0 (Jeff Parker & Matt Lee)
As the Inner Circle comes out, Santana and Ortiz quickly walk past Jericho to head to the ring. Jericho and Matt Lee start the match, but Santana tags him in, to Jericho’s dismay, before Lee attacks from behind and tags in Parker. Ortiz and Lee both tag in, before Garcia comes in and keeps Ortiz down with a kick to the back. After getting upset with them not tagging him in, Jericho blind tags himself in just for Ortiz to come right back in but quickly gets attacked by 2point0 and Garcia as they go to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Ortiz is fighting off the heels as Jericho puts his hand out for the tag, but Ortiz ends up tagging in Santana instead. Santana tries to fight off 2point0, as Ortiz comes in for an assist as Santana hits a double cutter on them. Santana goes for the pin, as Garcia breaks it up. Jericho ends up helping out and hitting a Judas Effect on Matt Lee, followed by a piledriver by Santana for the pin.
Winners: Chris Jericho, Santana & Ortiz by pinfall at 8:52
After the match, Jericho is yelling at Santana and Ortiz that he told them so and makes his way to the back, alone
Texas Death Match in… New Jersey?
We get a promo from Lance Archer and Jake Roberts who say when he does fight ‘Hangman’ Adam Page it’ll be a Texas Death Match. We go to Page, who accepts the match but seems caught off guard by the match stipulation, but regardless agrees as the match is set in two weeks, because nothing says, ‘Texas Death Match’, like Atlantic City, New Jersey.
That Watch is Fake
Tony Schiavone is backstage with Jungle Boy, Luchasaurus, Christian Cage, Matt Hardy, and the Private Party and it’s said that Jurassic Express is defending the AEW Tag Team Championship against Private Party this Friday on Rampage, as all six men start arguing with each other including Jungle Boy saying that their watch is fake.
CM Punk is Hot in Cleveland
CM Punk comes out for his speaking segment but is dressed to fight in his gear. Punk says he tried to walk out there in Cleveland like a badass, but they made him smile from ear to ear. Punk asks if they are sick of hearing him talk, which he says he is that’s why he’s got the long boys on and is taped up ready to fight, and tells the crowd to chant MJF’s name for the first time in history. Punk says last week he got a souvenir, as he takes off his jacket and shows off that he was wearing MJF’s scarf. Punk said maybe the scarf was sentimental to him until he found out for five bucks you can get a twelve-pack on Amazon and says that it was made in Long Island. Punk is sick of hearing MJF talk and what he needs is MJF in this ring and since he owes Cleveland one, to do it tonight. Punk says he’s realistic and knows that MJF will come out in a cheap suit that doesn’t fit him and has every excuse in the world. Punk mentions going through FTR, Wardlow and Shawn Spears and there is no one else so he wants him right there in Cleveland as MJF’s music hit.
MJF comes out as Punk tells them to cut his crappy music and the crowd chants ‘you suck’ at MJF. MJF plays with the crowd and asks if they want him to go back and change his gear and they wrestle right now in which MJF says no and calls the fans out of their mind and think that he would waste one of the most historic matches in the history of this sport in Cleveland, Ohio and calls this place disgusting and an absolute cesspool. MJF says that next week in Cleveland, Ohio he’ll give them the match they all want with CM Punk vs. MJF. MJF starts talking about this match being a dream match and these people here want it, or at least they think they do in which the crowd tells him to ‘shut the fuck up’. While the match itself is going to be spectacular, the result will be upsetting in which he will beat Punk and something unsettling will happen and they finally get to see the real CM Punk. The CM Punk who loses his fake smile the second he doesn’t get what he wants blames all his failures on everyone but himself and if he feels like he hasn’t gotten his just due, he’s more than willing to sue. Your same hero that claimed he left professional wrestling and returned that will say February 2nd that he is leaving wrestling again. MJF mentions the crowd saying the same about LeBron James and says the truth is Punk let everybody down when he no-showed everybody in Cleveland in 2014. MJF says Punk doesn’t care that they chanted his name on the top of their lungs, as they start to, but MJF has news for them, all those chants aren’t going to stop him from turning back again and then crying about it on a podcast. Punk chimes in and says it’s a podcast that MJF will listen to because he is a fan, and the best thing he ever did was leave and then come back. And if he didn’t come back MJF wouldn’t have his brush of greatness and tells MJF to go to the back and change into his gear so he can come in and handle business, in which they all know that MJF can’t do. Punk tells MJF that sometimes he has to take actions into his own hands and that’s what he did, and he never lied to the people. Some people love him and hate him, and he’d rather be him and try and fail than be like MJF and never show up. Punk says MJF stands in line to get his picture and autograph, and he’s made decisions and these people don’t love him because he wins, they love him because he gets back up and he tries and fights, just like Cleveland does and just like Chicago does. MJF says it’s time to test the fact that Punk gets back up, as Wardlow and FTR make their way to the ring with MJF. Shawn Spears jumps CM Punk from behind as The Pinnacle all start attacking CM Punk with a chair, but Wardlow stands in the corner and doesn’t do a thing. MJF tells Punk to get up now and calls him a dumb son of a bitch. Punk tries to pull on MJF’s scarf but gets knocked down. MJF tells Wardlow to power bomb Punk on top of a chair, in which he reluctantly does. MJF sits on Punk and says the same place that Punk’s journey started is where it’ll end and that he’ll see him in Chicago next week.
Moxley with Children
The Acclaimed has a segment last week where they talk about all the times Jon Moxley jumped them and now, he’s back and everybody is happy, and so are they as this Friday on Rampage, Anthony Bowens is going to kick Moxley’s ‘Married with Children’ looking ass all over his home state of Ohio.
Julia Has Hart
Tony Schiavone is backstage with Griff Garrison and Julia Hart, but they quickly get interrupted by Mark Sterling who asks Julia how her eye is, and Jade Cargill has personally challenged Julia but needs her to sign a form due to her eye injury. Garrison tries to stop her, but Julia says she’s got this and signs as the match is made official this Friday on Rampage for the TBS Championship.
Leyla Hirsch vs. Red Velvet
Velvet runs down to the ring to attack Hirsch and start the match and tries right away to go for her Final Slice finisher, but Hirsch escapes to the outside and brings Velvet with her. They start fighting on the apron, with Velvet stunning Hirsch down. Velvet puts on a triangle sleeper, but Hirsch is able to lift her and powerbomb her into the turnbuckle. Hirsch starts attacking Velvet in the corner as they go into picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Hirsch is trying to suplex Velvet, but Velvet escapes, ducks, and spears Hirsch down for a two count. Hirsch counters Velvet’s Final Slice and hits a knee to the face, but pulls up Velvet before the three count, to put on the Legit Lock. Velvet ends up putting her foot on the rope, they tussle a bit more until Hirsch rolls up Velvet and holds the tights for the pin.
Winner: Leyla Hirsch by pinfall at 8:08
Hirsch goes to put the Legit Lock on Velvet, but Kris Statlander runs out for the save and chases Hirsch out of the ring.
Death is Inevitable
We go to The House of Black as Malakai Black says that the house is built on conflict and what better way to give an audience who demands conflict and violence than the embodiment of that as Brody King. You will hold King in your arms and whisper in his ear that you are thankful for him. King says Pac has denounced the House and for that he will be humbled and just like death they are inevitable.
The Undisputed TNT Champ
Sammy Guevara and Fuego Del Sol come out during the picture to hold cue cards that say, ‘Tonight, I stand before you, beaten, battered and bruised, but not defeated. Tonight, I am a champion, a true pillar of this company. I climbed the ladder in that ring, the same way I climbed the ladder in this company. I didn’t politic, I didn’t brown-nose, instead, I ‘did the work’. Over 2 years, over 100 episodes, I have gone from a supporting role to becoming a key player. But it wasn’t just me, whether it’s the people here in Cleveland, OH or the people watching at home on TBS. You have been with me, every step of the way. This TNT Championship is not just mine, it’s ours. I wouldn’t be here without you, thank you, sincerely, Sammy Guevara, the Undisputed TNT Champ.’
The Only Baker You Can Count On
Tony Schiavone introduces Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D., who comes out waving a Pittsburgh Steelers flag and gets booed. Baker says it’s been a while since she talks and every time CM Punk and MJF had a mic in their hand, they couldn’t help but mention her name. Baker is surrounded and shows off all the awards she has won this year and says 2021 was going to be the era of the D.M.D. and she was right, and ever since she won the AEW Women’s Championship she has won nine matches and she shares that number with Cleveland as against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield got sacked nine times. She said enough of that Baker and to talk about the only Baker that matters in this ‘Britt-topia’ and how she became the face of AEW and has always made history by being the first female signed, the first female to main event Dynamite and Rampage and becoming female of the year and continues to mention more Baker Mayfield stats against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Baker continues and says they can finally have a baker they can count on.
Nyla Rose and Vickie Guerrero interrupt the rundown for the Rampage and says it’s a disgrace she isn’t getting a TBS Championship match and blames Ruby Soho for it, so she challenges Ruby for next week.
Rampage ‘Championship Friday’ Line-Up
· Jon Moxley vs. Anthony Bowens
· Lee Johnson & Brock Anderson (w/ Arn Anderson) vs. FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) (w/ Tully Blanchard)
· AEW TBS Championship: Jade Cargill (c) vs. Julia Hart
· AEW Tag Team Championship: Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus) (c) vs. Private Party (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen)
Dynamite in Chicago Line-Up
· CM Punk vs. MJF
· Pac & Penta El Zero Miedo vs. Malakai Black & Brody King
Lights Out Match: Adam Cole vs. Orange Cassidy
Cassidy starts the match by taking his own sunglasses and crushing them before they go at it in the middle of the ring with punches before Cole sends Cassidy to the outside. They brawl out there with Cassidy tossing Cole into the barricade and hitting a shotgun dropkick. Cole comes back by throwing Cassidy into the barricade, followed by a back body drop onto the edge of it. Cole goes to grab something under the ring, but it ends up being Danhausen surprisingly Cole, as Cassidy takes advantage. Cole uses a chair on Cassidy followed by a pump kick. Cassidy tries to go for the Beach Break, followed by Cassidy countering the Panama Sunrise as they go crashing through a table. Cassidy tries to go for the Orange Punch, but Cole blocks it with the ring bell. Cole puts Cassidy’s hand in the steel steps and kicks it because grabbing a trash can, chain and chairs throws them into the ring as they go to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, they are in the ring as Cassidy hits a Michinoku Driver to Cole on top of two chairs as we zoom in and see Cassidy’s hand is bloodied from the ring bell earlier. Cole superkicks Cassidy out of the ring and calls out Brandon Cutler. Wheeler Yuta runs out and takes out Cutler, but Bobby Fish runs out and takes out Yuta. Chuck Taylor then runs out and takes out Fish, throwing him against the barricade. The Young Bucks then run out and superkick Taylor. The Young Bucks come in and go to superkick Cassidy with Cole, but Trent Beretta and Rocky Romero come down and stop them. Cassidy hits the Beach Break and gets a two count, followed by a bloody Orange Punch which hurts him more than it hurts Cole. Cole low blows Cassidy, only to reveal Cassidy was wearing a steel cup with thumbtacks on it. Cassidy does his lazy kicks followed by his own Panama Sunrise but only gets a two. Cassidy starts wrapping the chain around his bloody hand and goes for the Orange Punch, but Cole escapes and heads up the ramp. Cassidy follows him as they head to the backstage area where we see Tony Khan and Jerry Lynn. Cole tosses Lynn in between them and hits a Death Valley Driver to Cassidy into the table in the ‘go’ position but gets a two count. They start heading back towards the stage as Cole hits a superkick and goes for The Boom, but Cassidy jumps up and hits a kick of his own, wraps the chain around his bloody fist again, but Cole stops him by taking him out with one of the giant lights used. Cole starts climbing the entrance stage and calls for the Panama Sunrise only to find out Cassidy is missing and ends up behind him on top, and hits a low blow. Cassidy gives Cole a hug, holds on tight as they both fall down and fall through the stage area where Cassidy is on top of Cole for the pin.
Winner: Orange Cassidy by pinfall at 16:56
